Police: Bartlett man had 90,000 bootleg DVDs

George HoudeSpecial to the Tribune

A 57-year-old Bartlett man was arrested recently after Cook County authorities said they found an estimated 90,000 DVDs illegally imported from Asia in his residence.

Bond for Joseph Palmisano, of the 300 block of Oakmont Drive, was set at $25,000 Friday in Rolling Meadows branch court on a felony charge of “unlawful use of unidentified sound,” said Tandra Simonton of the Cook County State's Attorney's office.

Simonton said the Department of Homeland Security began an investigation of Palmisano in October, when agents allegedly noticed numerous packages sent to him from Hong Kong. She said the DVDs apparently are pirated copies of movies.

Palmisano sold the DVDs online, reaping $220,000 in profits, she said.

"There were boxes of DVDs from floor to ceiling in his garage and living room," said Bartlett Police Commander Michael McGuigan. "He had little pathways to walk through."

McGuigan said the DVDs included films, HBO programs and other television shows. He alleged that Palmisano had been selling them for years.